A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.
Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn't reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn't waste anything.
This is called embodying the light.
What is a good man but a bad man's teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man's job?
If you don't understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are.
It is the great secret.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Friday, 4 December 2009
Brett Salahub's Discussion Topic for 2009-11-26 Thursday: Gurdjieff
List of insightful statements and questions from this session:
We are all arriving at the same pier (dock) coming from quite diverse locations
How important is the search to you? Could it be questioning?
How can we be curious? How can we be empty?
Journey vs the destination?
Number of paths? Being aware of new paths?
When discussing ask: Tell back what I just told you.
We are not what we think we are: Who is the true me?
Wisdom in seeing insignificance of ourselves as a physical being. We often deny this fact that our physical existence is insignificance.
Suggestion: listen how you introduce yourself, do you say "I am Paavo", or do you say "My name is Paavo"? It may reveal how you identify with your name, instead of your real self.
The mind may lie, but the body cannot lie! [SO LISTEN TO THE BODY!]
Few Gurdjieff concepts were touched upon:
We are not who we think we are and we lie to ourselves.
This was talked about in a variety of ways. It was easy to see how whole countries, and societies can lie to themselves, by looking at the political scene and wars and such. However it was discussed that we can lie to ourselves at an individual level.
Before breaking into groups and talking about how we can lie to ourselves, Brett read this quote: "Try for a moment to accept the idea that you are not what you think you are, that you overestimate yourself, therefore that you lie to yourself. That you lie to yourself always, every moment, all day long, your whole life." (This challenging "4th way" quote is by Mme de Salzmann, pupil of Gurdjieff for nearly 30 years)
Multiple I's, or programs that run automatically if we are not aware of them, and they affect our observations of our reality.
On flip chart was a diagram of person in circle.
Brett borrowed the idea from Anthony Phelips to draw on circle lenses with which we observe our surroundings. These lenses are distorted and subjective. It is one reason why people often think there is no Truth: there is only "my truth" and "your truth."
How this relates to Gurdjieff, is that he said a person is made up of multiple "I's" that come from their environment. Another very good analogy in today's language is to call them "programs": something that run automatically without us being aware of them. The programs were put into us by our conditioning. The most powerful of these programs were put there during our deeply impressionable childhood years.
The Gurdjieffiean point of this is that we observe, and interact, with our environment, not with our true self, but with using a variety of distorted lenses, and a multitude of programs that all claim to be the real I, or our true self. Yet these are all artificial constructs of the personality, who are lying when they claim to be the real "I". The real I, or perhaps the "essence" (A word Gurdjieff used too) of a person remains hidden and silent inside.
From this we also get to the key idea of "self remembering" that Gurdjieff taught. This process of self observation is an essential part of the 4th way Work as it is used to observe and identify these false "I's", these artificial programs, that claim to be the real person. One is completely at the mercy of these automatic responses if he is unaware of them. A man cannot begin to change himself until he can see them.
Then what happens next, and I think relates to what stuck in Pekka's mind from coming across Gurdjieff, that this "self remembering" leads to seeing the real "inner" person, instead of just the false personality.
We don't understand each other:
This came up because we noted that if we don't define some of the key words we use in discussion, we easily misunderstand each other, and we don't even realize it!
"no one understands anyone else. Two men can say the same thing with profound conviction but call it by different names, or argue endlessly together without suspecting that they are thinking exactly the same". --from In Search Of The Miraculous
The Three centers of Man
This topic we did not have time to get into, but often in our discussions, the group has made distinctions between things that we do at the intellectual level, and actions and decisions that we make at a different level: the emotional level. Ting has been reminding us also, that there is the physical level: the body too.
Therefore, because of these discussions Brett drew a picture on the flip chart:
The 3 centers of man, also called the 3 lower centers:
Lower Emotional center
Lower Intellectual center
Lower Moving center (sometimes combined with instinctive)
Higher Centers of Man
There was only time to note that Gurdjieff believed that there were also 3 higher centers that complement the 3 lower centers:
Sex center
Higher Emotional Center
Higher Intellectual Center.
We did not have time to talk about those, but Gurdjieff says that a man that does work on himself and advances, can one day get connection with his higher centers. This will make a complete and immortal man.
Conclusion
Gurdjieff was quite different from many of the new age gurus of today, who too often simply teach that emptying the mind and being at peace is the ultimate achievement of man. Gurdjieff taught there was something far more deeper and permanent that a man could reach for. This can be a topic for further study, what Gurdjieff was getting at. I recommend the book In Search Of the Miraculous, as an introduction to find out if that material resonates with you. Obviously this is not for everyone! Is it your kind of study? Or is it a book just to be thrown against the wall?
Final quote, that I did not give at the session but wraps up the thoughts
Gurdjieff: All the people you see, all the people you know, all the people you may get to know, are machines, actual machines working solely under the power of external influences, as you yourself said. Machines they are born and machines they die. ... Even now, at this very moment, while we are talking, several millions of machines are trying to annihilate one another. What is the difference between them? Where are the savages and where are the intellectuals? They are all alike . . . "But there is a possibility of ceasing to be a machine. It is of this we must think and not about the different kinds of machines that exist.
[...]
It is possible to stop being a machine, but for that it is necessary first of all to know the machine. A machine, a real machine, does not know itself and cannot know itself. When a machine knows itself it is then no longer a machine, at least, not such a machine as it was before. It already begins to be responsible for its actions.“
[From: In Search Of The Miraculous, by P. D. OUSPENSKY]
We are all arriving at the same pier (dock) coming from quite diverse locations
How important is the search to you? Could it be questioning?
How can we be curious? How can we be empty?
Journey vs the destination?
Number of paths? Being aware of new paths?
When discussing ask: Tell back what I just told you.
We are not what we think we are: Who is the true me?
Wisdom in seeing insignificance of ourselves as a physical being. We often deny this fact that our physical existence is insignificance.
Suggestion: listen how you introduce yourself, do you say "I am Paavo", or do you say "My name is Paavo"? It may reveal how you identify with your name, instead of your real self.
The mind may lie, but the body cannot lie! [SO LISTEN TO THE BODY!]
Few Gurdjieff concepts were touched upon:
We are not who we think we are and we lie to ourselves.
This was talked about in a variety of ways. It was easy to see how whole countries, and societies can lie to themselves, by looking at the political scene and wars and such. However it was discussed that we can lie to ourselves at an individual level.
Before breaking into groups and talking about how we can lie to ourselves, Brett read this quote: "Try for a moment to accept the idea that you are not what you think you are, that you overestimate yourself, therefore that you lie to yourself. That you lie to yourself always, every moment, all day long, your whole life." (This challenging "4th way" quote is by Mme de Salzmann, pupil of Gurdjieff for nearly 30 years)
Multiple I's, or programs that run automatically if we are not aware of them, and they affect our observations of our reality.
On flip chart was a diagram of person in circle.
Brett borrowed the idea from Anthony Phelips to draw on circle lenses with which we observe our surroundings. These lenses are distorted and subjective. It is one reason why people often think there is no Truth: there is only "my truth" and "your truth."
How this relates to Gurdjieff, is that he said a person is made up of multiple "I's" that come from their environment. Another very good analogy in today's language is to call them "programs": something that run automatically without us being aware of them. The programs were put into us by our conditioning. The most powerful of these programs were put there during our deeply impressionable childhood years.
The Gurdjieffiean point of this is that we observe, and interact, with our environment, not with our true self, but with using a variety of distorted lenses, and a multitude of programs that all claim to be the real I, or our true self. Yet these are all artificial constructs of the personality, who are lying when they claim to be the real "I". The real I, or perhaps the "essence" (A word Gurdjieff used too) of a person remains hidden and silent inside.
From this we also get to the key idea of "self remembering" that Gurdjieff taught. This process of self observation is an essential part of the 4th way Work as it is used to observe and identify these false "I's", these artificial programs, that claim to be the real person. One is completely at the mercy of these automatic responses if he is unaware of them. A man cannot begin to change himself until he can see them.
Then what happens next, and I think relates to what stuck in Pekka's mind from coming across Gurdjieff, that this "self remembering" leads to seeing the real "inner" person, instead of just the false personality.
We don't understand each other:
This came up because we noted that if we don't define some of the key words we use in discussion, we easily misunderstand each other, and we don't even realize it!
"no one understands anyone else. Two men can say the same thing with profound conviction but call it by different names, or argue endlessly together without suspecting that they are thinking exactly the same". --from In Search Of The Miraculous
The Three centers of Man
This topic we did not have time to get into, but often in our discussions, the group has made distinctions between things that we do at the intellectual level, and actions and decisions that we make at a different level: the emotional level. Ting has been reminding us also, that there is the physical level: the body too.
Therefore, because of these discussions Brett drew a picture on the flip chart:
The 3 centers of man, also called the 3 lower centers:
Lower Emotional center
Lower Intellectual center
Lower Moving center (sometimes combined with instinctive)
Higher Centers of Man
There was only time to note that Gurdjieff believed that there were also 3 higher centers that complement the 3 lower centers:
Sex center
Higher Emotional Center
Higher Intellectual Center.
We did not have time to talk about those, but Gurdjieff says that a man that does work on himself and advances, can one day get connection with his higher centers. This will make a complete and immortal man.
Conclusion
Gurdjieff was quite different from many of the new age gurus of today, who too often simply teach that emptying the mind and being at peace is the ultimate achievement of man. Gurdjieff taught there was something far more deeper and permanent that a man could reach for. This can be a topic for further study, what Gurdjieff was getting at. I recommend the book In Search Of the Miraculous, as an introduction to find out if that material resonates with you. Obviously this is not for everyone! Is it your kind of study? Or is it a book just to be thrown against the wall?
Final quote, that I did not give at the session but wraps up the thoughts
Gurdjieff: All the people you see, all the people you know, all the people you may get to know, are machines, actual machines working solely under the power of external influences, as you yourself said. Machines they are born and machines they die. ... Even now, at this very moment, while we are talking, several millions of machines are trying to annihilate one another. What is the difference between them? Where are the savages and where are the intellectuals? They are all alike . . . "But there is a possibility of ceasing to be a machine. It is of this we must think and not about the different kinds of machines that exist.
[...]
It is possible to stop being a machine, but for that it is necessary first of all to know the machine. A machine, a real machine, does not know itself and cannot know itself. When a machine knows itself it is then no longer a machine, at least, not such a machine as it was before. It already begins to be responsible for its actions.“
[From: In Search Of The Miraculous, by P. D. OUSPENSKY]
Friday, 30 October 2009
Work and Life Balance - or just LIFE; October 30th
Dance through your life. Enjoy what you're doing, feel your body, its aliveness. When typing on your computer, dance with your fingers!Rely on yourself: "I am enough". Whatever comes up, my whole life has been a preparation for it.
Don't talk about what you have done, talk about who you really are and what you want to do in the future. Being clear with this will create the future of your dreams.
"Gratitude stone": create a daily ritual of showing your gratitude to what your life already is. Make a habit of noticing what's good in your life.
Blow your beans, create the space where your life happens - where YOU happen. Be the space, be the music, and enjoy!
Some flute music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_soae20uUk
Thank you for your Being!
- Pekka
Friday, 14 August 2009
Anthony Phelips, 14.8.2009
Anthony Phelips gave us a lot in a short time – the formula of life, among other things. Here are some key points that struck me the most, please elaborate with your comments.
1. How do you apply spiritual concepts into business life – and if you do, does it really work?
Anthony told us about his test, how he applied spirituality into practical, daily business life. The spiritual principle, with all the mambo-jambo eliminated, was this: There are only people and their relationships in the world of humans. The measure of success in business is this: are the relationships getting better, staying as they are, or getting worse?
Anthony tested this for the first three years, and IT WORKED! The money result was growing, because the relationships were improving. Money was, in other words, the by-product of meaningful relationships.
The next three years were different, because now Anthony had something to loose – there was a certain amount of money coming to him, but only if the operation would stay profitable. Everything changed from having fun (“I didn’t really need the money”) into a struggle (“I had to defend what I had achieved”).
Janis Joplin sings about this: “Freedom ‘s just another word for nothing left to loose.”
2. Fundamental formula for life; the bad and the good one
First the bad one, the one most of us use: “What’s going on, so how do I feel?” This is a slave’s (or drug addict’s) strategy, it starts from the outside and reacts to that. We let the environment decide, and then try to please the environment. The initiative is in the hands of others.
Rajayoga means the yoga for the kings – I would hope for queens as well? It used to be a qualification to rule a kingdom, now it is a qualification to rule your own life. So, if we just stated a slave’s formula, what’s the king’s/queen’s formula?
Here comes the good formula, the one that changes everything around: “How do I feel, and now what’s going on?” Now that I master my own mind and feelings, looking from that viewpoint and from my personal safety and power, how do I see my environment and the situation I’m in? From this place I can accept the Now and shape the future. I am the king/queen of my life!
Of course, a really enlightened king/queen does everything in her power to help everyone to become a king/queen. We don’t need others to be slaves in order to be rulers – we don’t want to rule others, only our own lives.
3. My own movie theatre
Anthony took us to our own movie theatre, where you become the watcher or observer, instead of being identified with what’s going on. You just calmly watch, and from that calm and safe place you act, if you see it necessary.
This exercise might help in answering the obvious question: How do you shift from the first formula to the second one? How do you find your inner place, and learn to stay there at all times, in any situation?
Meditation is a great help, but actually if you’re at your center only when you meditate, you’re in trouble – this is at least my personal feeling. How many minutes or hours per day do you meditate (sit cross-legged on a cushion or something like that), and how much time do you spend living your normal life? The answer is “24/7 meditation” (I just invented this phrase), in other words being calm and centered in the midst of action, all the time. Anthony’s movie theatre might be a good way to go towards that direction - just remember all the time that you are the watcher, not the movie.
I think Gurdjieff talked about “self-remembering”, isn’t that idea close to what Anthony was telling? Perhaps Brett and Jeff could give the talk on Gurdjieff’s thoughts, as we have previously discussed?
Thank you Fraser for bringing Anthony to our meeting, and thank you Anthony for sharing your insights with us. We also had a couple of newcomers, please join the group on a regular basis.
Rule wisely, kings and queens!
Pekka
1. How do you apply spiritual concepts into business life – and if you do, does it really work?
Anthony told us about his test, how he applied spirituality into practical, daily business life. The spiritual principle, with all the mambo-jambo eliminated, was this: There are only people and their relationships in the world of humans. The measure of success in business is this: are the relationships getting better, staying as they are, or getting worse?
Anthony tested this for the first three years, and IT WORKED! The money result was growing, because the relationships were improving. Money was, in other words, the by-product of meaningful relationships.
The next three years were different, because now Anthony had something to loose – there was a certain amount of money coming to him, but only if the operation would stay profitable. Everything changed from having fun (“I didn’t really need the money”) into a struggle (“I had to defend what I had achieved”).
Janis Joplin sings about this: “Freedom ‘s just another word for nothing left to loose.”
2. Fundamental formula for life; the bad and the good one
First the bad one, the one most of us use: “What’s going on, so how do I feel?” This is a slave’s (or drug addict’s) strategy, it starts from the outside and reacts to that. We let the environment decide, and then try to please the environment. The initiative is in the hands of others.
Rajayoga means the yoga for the kings – I would hope for queens as well? It used to be a qualification to rule a kingdom, now it is a qualification to rule your own life. So, if we just stated a slave’s formula, what’s the king’s/queen’s formula?
Here comes the good formula, the one that changes everything around: “How do I feel, and now what’s going on?” Now that I master my own mind and feelings, looking from that viewpoint and from my personal safety and power, how do I see my environment and the situation I’m in? From this place I can accept the Now and shape the future. I am the king/queen of my life!Of course, a really enlightened king/queen does everything in her power to help everyone to become a king/queen. We don’t need others to be slaves in order to be rulers – we don’t want to rule others, only our own lives.
3. My own movie theatre
Anthony took us to our own movie theatre, where you become the watcher or observer, instead of being identified with what’s going on. You just calmly watch, and from that calm and safe place you act, if you see it necessary.
This exercise might help in answering the obvious question: How do you shift from the first formula to the second one? How do you find your inner place, and learn to stay there at all times, in any situation?
Meditation is a great help, but actually if you’re at your center only when you meditate, you’re in trouble – this is at least my personal feeling. How many minutes or hours per day do you meditate (sit cross-legged on a cushion or something like that), and how much time do you spend living your normal life? The answer is “24/7 meditation” (I just invented this phrase), in other words being calm and centered in the midst of action, all the time. Anthony’s movie theatre might be a good way to go towards that direction - just remember all the time that you are the watcher, not the movie.
I think Gurdjieff talked about “self-remembering”, isn’t that idea close to what Anthony was telling? Perhaps Brett and Jeff could give the talk on Gurdjieff’s thoughts, as we have previously discussed?
Thank you Fraser for bringing Anthony to our meeting, and thank you Anthony for sharing your insights with us. We also had a couple of newcomers, please join the group on a regular basis.
Rule wisely, kings and queens!
Pekka
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
REMINDER: Leaders Forum on August 14th at 8:30 - 11, at Park Hotel. NOTE: the date has been changed due to a visiting guest speaker!
Hello Leaders Forum, and wellcome back from your summer holidays!
Fraser is introducing an interesting guest speaker, Anthony Phelips. He has come to visit Fraser to get some treatments at his clinic, and is willing to give our forum a talk on “Finding peace of mind in chaotic times” - I like this topic, sounds very much like our stuff :-)
Because Anthony won't be here on our next planned date, August 28th, I suggest that we change our next meeting to August 14th.
Best wishes,
Pekka
Anthony Phelips
For 32 years Anthony, while employed in senior management positions, has been experimenting with using spiritual principles in the practical world of business. For 25 years he has been a student of Raja Yoga. Happily he has found that his experiments in business life have proved a success, and now he is able to spend much of his time teaching and facilitating in the area of human development.
In order to stay current and remain relevant to his students he continues to retain senior consultancies to a number of multinational companies in Europe and North America, but his real work is with individuals who sincerely seek meaning and fulfillment for their lives.
Currently Anthony lives in a converted stable close to the Global Retreat Centre in the quiet of the Oxfordshire countryside where he participates in the daily workings of this very spiritual and active place.
Fraser is introducing an interesting guest speaker, Anthony Phelips. He has come to visit Fraser to get some treatments at his clinic, and is willing to give our forum a talk on “Finding peace of mind in chaotic times” - I like this topic, sounds very much like our stuff :-)
Because Anthony won't be here on our next planned date, August 28th, I suggest that we change our next meeting to August 14th.
Best wishes,
Pekka
Anthony Phelips
For 32 years Anthony, while employed in senior management positions, has been experimenting with using spiritual principles in the practical world of business. For 25 years he has been a student of Raja Yoga. Happily he has found that his experiments in business life have proved a success, and now he is able to spend much of his time teaching and facilitating in the area of human development.
In order to stay current and remain relevant to his students he continues to retain senior consultancies to a number of multinational companies in Europe and North America, but his real work is with individuals who sincerely seek meaning and fulfillment for their lives.
Currently Anthony lives in a converted stable close to the Global Retreat Centre in the quiet of the Oxfordshire countryside where he participates in the daily workings of this very spiritual and active place.
Friday, 3 July 2009
"Life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself"
I wish you a relaxing summer holiday. If you feel like it, click on the links "Mystic Zen" or "Zen Garden - Kokin Gumi" (on the right, under "Relax"), and enjoy.
Best wishes, Pekka
Best wishes, Pekka
Friday, 26 June 2009
No Agenda Breakfast on 26.6.
Hello!
We had an interesting No Agenda -session, it really feels good not to know in advance, where the discussion is gonna go. We covered almost all aspects of life, I won't try to cover it here. Ismo Saario visited us, and we're hoping he would become a regular member.
Here are some thoughts considering what we have been doing so far, especially in the beginning, and where we might be heading next fall.
Looking back at Goodtimers; some early findings and previous topics
Have a look these notes the group made after the first period, in 2003 (click on the picture, and you will see the notes more clearly):
Here are some topics that we have discussed earlier - perhaps we should look at some of these again?
First period (June 2003 - December 2003):
- Me-me vs. work-me
- Tipu Ake model: the Maori way of looking at things
- Building meaningful relationships
- Unlocking the inspiration, energy and genius within
- Visioning
- Living life fully
Second period (January 2004 - June 2004):
- Building relationships
- What have we learned?
- How to build winning teams?
- DISC; different personality types
- Facilitation
- Leadership pill
Third period (August 2004 - January 2005):
- Why are we less than we could be?
- Changing impossible situations into gold
- A tapping technique to remove what's stopping us
- How to develop sales skills?
- Meaninmg of life; writing personal mission statements
... and so on.
I have a question for all of you: Does any of these topics make you go "vow, I wish I had been there / I wish I would remember that session"? Should we try to tackle the same topic with fresh forces and have a discussion around it, together? We have the old notes of these sessions, so we could read them through, ask the guest speaker (most of these early presentations were given by Chris) to give a new version of his thoughts... would you like it? Especially the newer members might enjoy that? Please let me know what you think.
Another idea considering our future programme was that we could have more of these personal jump-stories or other ways of getting deeper into our everyday life. Anyone in the middle of a big change process (external or internal) is interesting, and the group might be able to help by being present and listening deeply. Also if someone is passionate or deeply involved in something (astrology, yoga, taiji, ancient Rome, body painting, diving, poetry, whatever), it would be interesting to be exposed to that passion - it might be easier to tap into one's own life interests after having seen someone so excited?
Let's see how things proceed. Have a great summer holiday, and see you in August!
Regards, Pekka
We had an interesting No Agenda -session, it really feels good not to know in advance, where the discussion is gonna go. We covered almost all aspects of life, I won't try to cover it here. Ismo Saario visited us, and we're hoping he would become a regular member.
Here are some thoughts considering what we have been doing so far, especially in the beginning, and where we might be heading next fall.
Looking back at Goodtimers; some early findings and previous topics
Have a look these notes the group made after the first period, in 2003 (click on the picture, and you will see the notes more clearly):
Here are some topics that we have discussed earlier - perhaps we should look at some of these again?
First period (June 2003 - December 2003):
- Me-me vs. work-me
- Tipu Ake model: the Maori way of looking at things
- Building meaningful relationships
- Unlocking the inspiration, energy and genius within
- Visioning
- Living life fully
Second period (January 2004 - June 2004):
- Building relationships
- What have we learned?
- How to build winning teams?
- DISC; different personality types
- Facilitation
- Leadership pill
Third period (August 2004 - January 2005):
- Why are we less than we could be?
- Changing impossible situations into gold
- A tapping technique to remove what's stopping us
- How to develop sales skills?
- Meaninmg of life; writing personal mission statements
... and so on.
I have a question for all of you: Does any of these topics make you go "vow, I wish I had been there / I wish I would remember that session"? Should we try to tackle the same topic with fresh forces and have a discussion around it, together? We have the old notes of these sessions, so we could read them through, ask the guest speaker (most of these early presentations were given by Chris) to give a new version of his thoughts... would you like it? Especially the newer members might enjoy that? Please let me know what you think.
Another idea considering our future programme was that we could have more of these personal jump-stories or other ways of getting deeper into our everyday life. Anyone in the middle of a big change process (external or internal) is interesting, and the group might be able to help by being present and listening deeply. Also if someone is passionate or deeply involved in something (astrology, yoga, taiji, ancient Rome, body painting, diving, poetry, whatever), it would be interesting to be exposed to that passion - it might be easier to tap into one's own life interests after having seen someone so excited?
Let's see how things proceed. Have a great summer holiday, and see you in August!
Regards, Pekka
Thursday, 25 June 2009
No Agenda Breakfast: 26.6.2009 at 8:30, Park Hotel
I've received some replies indicating that a No Agenda meeting might be fun, so I feel this Friday we will have breakfast at Park Hotel's yard, listening to birds singing and discussing whatever comes to mind. Perhaps some reflections on what we have been discussing during the past years is a good idea - I might print out some old topics and we might just browse them through and see what comes to mind?
See you at No Agenda breakfast!
Pekka
See you at No Agenda breakfast!
Pekka
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
"The Language of spaces" by Anna Sperryn; 29.5.2009
We can all read the language of spaces. It is natural, easy and happens without thinking about it. It's a language of our bodies and senses.
We are always in some sort of a space (not quite the same as tila in Finnish, better translations welcome!). All spaces also "happen" at a certain time. In a way, we are the spaces we are in. Winston Churchill said "First we create our buildings, then our buildings create us".
I consider both natural environments and built environments to be important to include in this understanding. We should remember that between 75-95% of all communication is non-verbal, and our environments are affecting us in powerful ways.
The dimensions of space (tila) as a phenomenon are: social, physical and virtual. The social aspect is probably the most important, so spaces should be created with understanding the behaviours that the space encourages/discourages. Form is intensified meaning that human beings read subconsciously. So be aware of the meanings inbuilt in your surroundings. If the meaning supports you and what you want to achieve and become, you've got a powerful friend on your side. If the opposite is true, something is constantly working against you and tiring you out.
This starts to sound pretty much like Feng Shui. And I believe our western Environmental Psychology is close to the fundamental teaching of feng shui, if you look beyond the evil spirits and "how to be rich" -type of teachings. But who am I to dismiss evil spirits, maybe I am just beginning to understand the "invisible world" ;-)
The "invisible world" is also what I have been learning in my Design studies (International Design Business Management for Professionals). In a way, designing messages, or meanings into forms (e.g. a cider bottle) is the essence of any design act. Design can be made in a way that seeks to serve "what wants to be" or in a "hero" mentality. Serving what wants to be is a selfless act, where the designer(s) carefully studies and engages the real users and other stakeholders in the process, fully letting go of "what should be" (culture) and being extremely sensitive to what wants to happen in this space, for these people, at this time, serving these aspirations.
The hero designers (that the media seem to love) use a different approach, which may result into a great item, but quite often their designs are "monuments", because the meaning inbuilt is "someone has done the thinking for you, now admire it".
A good design (as I understand) gives a meaningful form that serves the intended OR desired behaviours BUT leaves room for change. IDEO, the world's most famous product design company for example believes that spaces certainly are a factor of innovation, but the fewer rules the better. Let people create their own spaces rather than give them a focus group-influenced compromise design from the real estate or IT department.
I could go on and on about this subject - which was noticeable also on Friday. Apologies for cramming our time together with a lot of information. I had a great learning experience preparing, giving and now documenting this talk. I enjoyed the discussion that according to my memory covered at least: the social aspect of spaces, being in the flow or not (and helped/not by the physical surroundings), spaces as "tipping points", space being a participant in a group setting, space being one of the teachers in Montessori -thinking, helping people open up to other people, innovative and creative virtual spaces, timing of meetings, locations being important, more inspiring corporate offices, the psychosis-inducing environments, environments that are good for us, education...
The conversation was intriguing, and I would like to hear about your insights (oivallukset). Please contact me or let's speak at the next Forum.
The books that I referred to, were:
Talojen kieli by Kaj Nyman, Rakennusalan kustantajat 1998
• this book is a very thought provoking book based on the author's Doctoral Thesis. He takes the view of the built environment and architects. Very readable and lots of drawings. I got it from the library.
In the Bubble. Designing in a Complex World by John Thackara. The MIT Press 2006.
• equally thought provoking, but Thackara covers many kinds of design: products, spaces, services, education, business etc. Read this, if you want to understand how design thinking and practices relate to your life, the environment and the global challenges we are facing. No drawings at all, but well written! I ordered it from Amazon.
Thank you!
Anna Sperryn
"annasperryn@yahoo.com"
Monday, 25 May 2009
REMINDER: Next meeting on Friday, 29.5.2009, at 8:30; at Park Hotel
Anna Sperryn will speak on "The language of spaces". How does the physical space effect our state of mind, and our ability to work and create together?
Look forward to seeing you on Friday morning at Park Hotel!
---
By the way, Kim has found something interesting, I attach his message here:
Some of you might know that I am a fan of GTD (Getting Things Done) "methodology" on how to manage/organize the more practical part of everyday life. We sometimes had discussions about this at the Forum and one topic was whether GTD puts too much focus on doing things right, as opposed to doing the right things.
Well, I have no answer but here is an interesting article about GTD and Zen: www.gtdtimes.com/2009/05/21/zen-and-the-art-of-task-management
Kim
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Notes by Jeff and Brett, regarding psychopathy and "ponerization", on 24.4.2009
Thanks for participating in our little introduction into psychopathy and the study of the "ponerization" process by which very large societies can become psychopathized. We barely scratched the surface of the topic, which was a real eye-opener to us when we first encountered it nearly one year ago.
On Friday we only had a chance to look at the individual deviant traits that are the foundation for the birth or genesis of "evil" from a scientific point of view, or "ponerogenesis". However we didn't get to how this pathology spreads into the society via ideolgies, spellbinders, paramoralisms, paralogic/converse thinking (twisted logic) and so forth which can be seen with our own eyes around us when examined through these lenses. This could be discussed at another time if and when we're ready for it :-)
While we related that this new discovery of this material nearly a year ago has helped us understand our world in crucial ways that we think has been hidden from most of humankind over the millenia, it is our hypotheses that good knowledge by everyone of this topic also could have far reaching practical applications that could potentially cause tremendous improvements in the lives of all mankind.
Let us also add that we think that people born without the capability of conscience and empathy (psychopaths), being part of natural creation, have a right to their existence like every creature does. However knowledge of them, is the only way we believe it is possible to mitigate their potential harmful effects.
We conclude, from our studies, that it is lack of general awareness of psychopathy, that allows them to cause trouble not only in personal relationships, and corruption of well-meaning organizations but also causing never-ending repeating cycles of psychopathisation (ponerization) of entire societies.
We can study the process of ponerization in the extreme examples provided by recent history: Nazi Germany and the authoritarian rule of the former Soviet Union. However, we also see that it has been happening in ancient times and is still happening today through many levels of the American society. Since the USA has been spreading its ruthless predatory twisting of a capitalist economic system, for example, to the entire world in a process referred to as "globalization", we suddenly are all too aware that no place is safe from the effects of ponerization. It is reasonable to expect that sooner or later, even Finland, will have to deal with even the extreme effects of psychopathization of society. The positive side of this, is that for the first time in recorded history (to our knowledge) mankind has the possibility to face it without ignorance if one would only learn the principles of psychopathy and ponerization.
One can read accounts of people who have had been overjoyed with relief when they finally discovered studies of phenomena like psychopathy. These are people who have had their lives shattered by manipulations of people without a natural conscience or else by people with acquired conscience deficiencies (characteropaths) or else people with narcissistic personality disorders. They have been able to get on with their lives with an explanation for what happened, and with a new power to protect themselves in the future. They were able to do this only when they acquired the knowledge of a certain type of people whose mind works differently than most people.
Thus it is the same on larger political scale: knowledge by everyone that there exists two separate humanities, divided by the capability of conscience and empathy, is the only way to have a chance for society to not be easy prey to these natural predators.
It is also something interesting to explore the possibility that tradional divisions have all been fake divisions. Mankind is not divided by race, creed or nationality. It might be revealed that belief in these false divisions are possibly examples of ponerization perpetrated on the human race for millenia in a large part to divide and conquer by those small minority without conscience who in fact understand where there is really one true significant division of humanity.
We may all have equal human rights, but we are not the same. The studies suggest that four to six percent of us are born without compassion and empathy and this difference in their genetics allows them to have the ability to move from lie to lie glibly and confidently that is incomprehensible to the majority of the people. So the majority are easy prey to this small minority because the majority assume everyone has a spark of conscience and no one really can possibly be TOTALLY false. The majority then always assumes the truth is in the middle. When this assumption is made about a psychopath, then he/she has won. Can you see then how psychopaths can never lose in a judicial system that assumes the truth is in the middle?
How can such a small minority have so much effect on society? Some key things to remember is that people who are superconfident are often thought to be good leaders and advance well in organizations. If they are skillful at deception their false accomplishments look really good if not exposed. And even if exposed, sometimes their spellbinding personalities cause an unbelievable wave of support by those who have been thoroughly duped so their ego is invested in their belief in the integrity of the psychopath. Then there are those born into wealth and power: what might they do with power when the are not weakened and limited by conscience and empathy like those around them? What would you do if you had secret abilities beyond those around you? Answer: anything you want.
Maybe sounding a bit melodramatic but this is also a serious issue - it is so good to see this group is open to all types of topics, as part of the pursuit to develop oneself.
Regards,
Jeff and Brett Salahub
On Friday we only had a chance to look at the individual deviant traits that are the foundation for the birth or genesis of "evil" from a scientific point of view, or "ponerogenesis". However we didn't get to how this pathology spreads into the society via ideolgies, spellbinders, paramoralisms, paralogic/converse thinking (twisted logic) and so forth which can be seen with our own eyes around us when examined through these lenses. This could be discussed at another time if and when we're ready for it :-)
While we related that this new discovery of this material nearly a year ago has helped us understand our world in crucial ways that we think has been hidden from most of humankind over the millenia, it is our hypotheses that good knowledge by everyone of this topic also could have far reaching practical applications that could potentially cause tremendous improvements in the lives of all mankind.
Let us also add that we think that people born without the capability of conscience and empathy (psychopaths), being part of natural creation, have a right to their existence like every creature does. However knowledge of them, is the only way we believe it is possible to mitigate their potential harmful effects.
We conclude, from our studies, that it is lack of general awareness of psychopathy, that allows them to cause trouble not only in personal relationships, and corruption of well-meaning organizations but also causing never-ending repeating cycles of psychopathisation (ponerization) of entire societies.
We can study the process of ponerization in the extreme examples provided by recent history: Nazi Germany and the authoritarian rule of the former Soviet Union. However, we also see that it has been happening in ancient times and is still happening today through many levels of the American society. Since the USA has been spreading its ruthless predatory twisting of a capitalist economic system, for example, to the entire world in a process referred to as "globalization", we suddenly are all too aware that no place is safe from the effects of ponerization. It is reasonable to expect that sooner or later, even Finland, will have to deal with even the extreme effects of psychopathization of society. The positive side of this, is that for the first time in recorded history (to our knowledge) mankind has the possibility to face it without ignorance if one would only learn the principles of psychopathy and ponerization.
One can read accounts of people who have had been overjoyed with relief when they finally discovered studies of phenomena like psychopathy. These are people who have had their lives shattered by manipulations of people without a natural conscience or else by people with acquired conscience deficiencies (characteropaths) or else people with narcissistic personality disorders. They have been able to get on with their lives with an explanation for what happened, and with a new power to protect themselves in the future. They were able to do this only when they acquired the knowledge of a certain type of people whose mind works differently than most people.
Thus it is the same on larger political scale: knowledge by everyone that there exists two separate humanities, divided by the capability of conscience and empathy, is the only way to have a chance for society to not be easy prey to these natural predators.
It is also something interesting to explore the possibility that tradional divisions have all been fake divisions. Mankind is not divided by race, creed or nationality. It might be revealed that belief in these false divisions are possibly examples of ponerization perpetrated on the human race for millenia in a large part to divide and conquer by those small minority without conscience who in fact understand where there is really one true significant division of humanity.
We may all have equal human rights, but we are not the same. The studies suggest that four to six percent of us are born without compassion and empathy and this difference in their genetics allows them to have the ability to move from lie to lie glibly and confidently that is incomprehensible to the majority of the people. So the majority are easy prey to this small minority because the majority assume everyone has a spark of conscience and no one really can possibly be TOTALLY false. The majority then always assumes the truth is in the middle. When this assumption is made about a psychopath, then he/she has won. Can you see then how psychopaths can never lose in a judicial system that assumes the truth is in the middle?
How can such a small minority have so much effect on society? Some key things to remember is that people who are superconfident are often thought to be good leaders and advance well in organizations. If they are skillful at deception their false accomplishments look really good if not exposed. And even if exposed, sometimes their spellbinding personalities cause an unbelievable wave of support by those who have been thoroughly duped so their ego is invested in their belief in the integrity of the psychopath. Then there are those born into wealth and power: what might they do with power when the are not weakened and limited by conscience and empathy like those around them? What would you do if you had secret abilities beyond those around you? Answer: anything you want.
Maybe sounding a bit melodramatic but this is also a serious issue - it is so good to see this group is open to all types of topics, as part of the pursuit to develop oneself.
Regards,
Jeff and Brett Salahub
Monday, 20 April 2009
REMINDER: Next meeting on Friday 24th, at 8:30 - 11, at Park Hotel!
Hosted by Jeff Salahub, "Looking at the world around us: is humankind becoming psychopathized?", at Park Hotel. Look around, and inside - what do you think?
You are most wellcome!
Friday, 27 March 2009
Meeting on March 27th; diplomat Hanna Lampi from Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Hello, and thank you for an excellent discussion! Hanna Lampi gave us a kick-start by telling her jump-story. Here are some findings that I found most interesting, please comment and share your insights.
BEFORE:
Hanna was living from conference to conference, interesting and challenging work, but there was no space to recuperate and understand what was really going on. "My mind was working all the time, day and night... But my superiors didn't force me to work this hard, it was my superego telling me that I was irreplaceable." Health problems and cynicism started to surface. "Cynicism is a poison... I felt that while I was growing professionally, I started to shrink as a human being. I looked at the mirror, and saw this cynical piece of shit..."
BEFORE:
Hanna was living from conference to conference, interesting and challenging work, but there was no space to recuperate and understand what was really going on. "My mind was working all the time, day and night... But my superiors didn't force me to work this hard, it was my superego telling me that I was irreplaceable." Health problems and cynicism started to surface. "Cynicism is a poison... I felt that while I was growing professionally, I started to shrink as a human being. I looked at the mirror, and saw this cynical piece of shit..."
"It's Sunday morning, and I'm too tired to read Helsingin Sanomat." This was the moment Hanna realized things were developing to the wrong direction. She had trouble sleeping, and discovered a mantra to quiet her mind: "HELLITÄ", which means get loose, give way. In Finnish, it also contains the word "HELLI", which means care for, or cherish. What stopped Hanna from jumping off this merry-go-round? "I was afraid that if I had time for myself, I wouldn't be good enough... that I wouldn't like myself."
AFTER:
"I had my final fights with my superego, and then I was free to jump off. None of my fears have materialized, I've been totally happy since I took my leave. Actually, I feel I'm getting younger."
AFTER:
"I had my final fights with my superego, and then I was free to jump off. None of my fears have materialized, I've been totally happy since I took my leave. Actually, I feel I'm getting younger."
Hanna realized that she could actually do anything she wanted - but she didn't have to do something all the time. Just being at home made her so happy, and she wasn't at all bored. She's been doing a lot of skiing, and that is so fun she sings and dances at the same time.
"I have found the old me, the real me that was temporarily lost! I have stopped struggling and trying to achieve more, I just enjoy the moment. I have realized that you can't change anything, if you're feeling bad inside. Now I'm feeling whole, my body and soul united, and everything is possible." We summarised Hanna's change like this: "from a cynical piece of shit into a whole person of gold".
DISCUSSION:
Most of us can relate to this story. Of course it's good to have some time off and re-find oneself, and get well again. But what happens when you go back to work? Will the old habits creep back? We invited Hanna to join our group, so that we can follow how she's doing, especially when she goes back to work (if she does?). Hopefully Hanna joins the blog, and pops in from Helsinki to some of our meetings.
What if you had "mini-vacations" every day? Take a break during the working day, go out for a walk and breath easily, or in a meeting take a few conscious breaths and let everything go. Let part of your mind reconnect continuously to your essential self and the beingness in you. Perhaps then you won't get tired?
We also talked about wanting. If I have understood correctly, Buddhism says that life is suffering, all suffering is self-inflicted, and suffering comes from wanting. Freedom comes from not wanting, not clinging into anything (people, possessions, money, power, status). Freedom comes from accepting how things are, and the way they constantly change.
The discussion went on, covering many intercultural aspects regarding "cultural imperialism of the English language", differences between nations, being prisoners of history, and so on. Perhaps other participants could comment, so this won't be just my monologue?
KEY FINDINGS: I try to summarize my personal findings into three sentences.
"I have found the old me, the real me that was temporarily lost! I have stopped struggling and trying to achieve more, I just enjoy the moment. I have realized that you can't change anything, if you're feeling bad inside. Now I'm feeling whole, my body and soul united, and everything is possible." We summarised Hanna's change like this: "from a cynical piece of shit into a whole person of gold".
DISCUSSION:
Most of us can relate to this story. Of course it's good to have some time off and re-find oneself, and get well again. But what happens when you go back to work? Will the old habits creep back? We invited Hanna to join our group, so that we can follow how she's doing, especially when she goes back to work (if she does?). Hopefully Hanna joins the blog, and pops in from Helsinki to some of our meetings.
What if you had "mini-vacations" every day? Take a break during the working day, go out for a walk and breath easily, or in a meeting take a few conscious breaths and let everything go. Let part of your mind reconnect continuously to your essential self and the beingness in you. Perhaps then you won't get tired?
We also talked about wanting. If I have understood correctly, Buddhism says that life is suffering, all suffering is self-inflicted, and suffering comes from wanting. Freedom comes from not wanting, not clinging into anything (people, possessions, money, power, status). Freedom comes from accepting how things are, and the way they constantly change.
The discussion went on, covering many intercultural aspects regarding "cultural imperialism of the English language", differences between nations, being prisoners of history, and so on. Perhaps other participants could comment, so this won't be just my monologue?
KEY FINDINGS: I try to summarize my personal findings into three sentences.
- Stress comes from being disconnected from your essential self.
- Re-connecting to your essential self makes you whole and brings back your power.
- When this connection is in place, anything is possible.
I wish you all a very easy-going and conscious weekend!
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
REMINDER: Friday March 27th at 8:30 - 11, at Park Hotel!
Hello!
I took up hosting this meeting and invited diplomat Hanna Lampi from Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Hanna has many interesting stories from Moscow, Bonn and Berlin, and regarding some recent climate negotiations around the world, but my primary motivation for inviting her is this: Hanna stopped her "busyness business" in January and took a six months leave. The busy rhythm is still in memory, but the stop has already started to open her mind. We will hear an interesting "jump-story".
See you on Friday morning at 8:30 at Park Hotel. The breakfast is 10 €.
Regards, Pekka.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Remembering old sessions, part 1
Since our forum has been running since June 2003, and we've just now opened this blog, I thought I could dig up some interesting old sessions and show them on the blog. This could serve the old members as reminders, newer members might learn about the forum's hiostory before they joined, and perhaps some readers might be interested to read these, too?
This is a condensed presentation of our very first session on June 6th, 2003...
What is Leaders Forum about?
It provides a very powerful way to develop personally and professionally with
other like-minded people who meet monthly to learn together, hear thought-challenging talks, and share ideas and experiences.
Our motto: Making a world of a difference by me making a difference in my world
Our values: Respect Trust Sharing Support
Each Leaders Forum group is unique. Members are from a diverse range of occupations and professions with most being in mid-career.
We learn and gain (1) New ideas and solutions to challenges, (2) To access our natural wisdom, (3) “What works” and “what does not work”, (4) Broader outlooks and deeper understandings, (5) To develop our leadership skills, (6) Support, encouragement and invaluable insights from other members ….our own personal mentoring team! Plus: Developed our expression skills in English.
How we work together: Our overall theme is leadership development. Within that theme we decide on and work with the topics that most interest us and from which we have most to gain. Meetings can combine talks by thought-leaders and practitioners; presentations by members; open dialogue and challenge-focused discussion; learning by practicing; mentoring one-to-one or as a group. Each member keeps a record of their “best ideas and practices” and is also provided with summaries. Members aim to gain high personal value, grow as self-leaders and to make their positive differences.
We are multi-professionals who are open and adaptive to new ways thinking. and to allow for the “best ideas” to come up we do not have tight rules. “Energetic, creative, enjoyable, relaxed, fun” best describes our meetings and is what we aim to take with us into our lives and into our work.
Short talks and presentations and unhurried open discussions: Thought-challenging talks and presentations spark our minds for us to dialogue together in search for the BIG ideas; the break-through insights to maximise our learning and to give the ways and tools we are looking for.
No homework: We are too busy.
The facilitators distil the best ideas and feed them back to us and we each keep our own personal record of our special insights and ideas we wish to use. Confidential matters are kept confidential.
For our first six months, we wished to (1) Develop our presence of mind, (2) Find new perspectives and ways to think, and (3) Understand what motivates me and others.
This is a condensed presentation of our very first session on June 6th, 2003...
What is Leaders Forum about?
It provides a very powerful way to develop personally and professionally with
other like-minded people who meet monthly to learn together, hear thought-challenging talks, and share ideas and experiences.
Our motto: Making a world of a difference by me making a difference in my world
Our values: Respect Trust Sharing Support
Each Leaders Forum group is unique. Members are from a diverse range of occupations and professions with most being in mid-career.
We learn and gain (1) New ideas and solutions to challenges, (2) To access our natural wisdom, (3) “What works” and “what does not work”, (4) Broader outlooks and deeper understandings, (5) To develop our leadership skills, (6) Support, encouragement and invaluable insights from other members ….our own personal mentoring team! Plus: Developed our expression skills in English.
How we work together: Our overall theme is leadership development. Within that theme we decide on and work with the topics that most interest us and from which we have most to gain. Meetings can combine talks by thought-leaders and practitioners; presentations by members; open dialogue and challenge-focused discussion; learning by practicing; mentoring one-to-one or as a group. Each member keeps a record of their “best ideas and practices” and is also provided with summaries. Members aim to gain high personal value, grow as self-leaders and to make their positive differences.
We are multi-professionals who are open and adaptive to new ways thinking. and to allow for the “best ideas” to come up we do not have tight rules. “Energetic, creative, enjoyable, relaxed, fun” best describes our meetings and is what we aim to take with us into our lives and into our work.
Short talks and presentations and unhurried open discussions: Thought-challenging talks and presentations spark our minds for us to dialogue together in search for the BIG ideas; the break-through insights to maximise our learning and to give the ways and tools we are looking for.
No homework: We are too busy.
The facilitators distil the best ideas and feed them back to us and we each keep our own personal record of our special insights and ideas we wish to use. Confidential matters are kept confidential.
For our first six months, we wished to (1) Develop our presence of mind, (2) Find new perspectives and ways to think, and (3) Understand what motivates me and others.
Friday, 13 March 2009
This is how we saw our Forum in the beginning...
Business managers are splitting the reality and then trying to manage this self-created separateness. Since separateness is unnatural, it requires a lot of effort. What supports relationships is working with the oneness. Since organisations are just relationships between people, this also supports organisations. Since oneness is natural, there is no effort.
Leaders Forum is a learning process from separateness to oneness.
Our motto: Making a world of a difference by me making a difference in my world.
Our values: Respect, Trust, Presence
Our goal: To develop our presence of mind. To find new perspectives and ways to think. To understand what motivates me and others.
10 interesting questions we want to talk about:
- We play a number of different roles. Is the role ruling me or am I ruling the role?
- We can live by our own and/or others expectations of us. Whose expectations am I choosing to live by? Who created the expectations and why? Are they appropriate for me to live by now?
- “When I'm stressed I think of butterflies and the stress goes. They can fly because they take themselves lightly”, said one member. Why do I take life so seriously? Is seriousness a health hazard? What is seriousness and how can I lessen it?
- What gives me JOY? What is my dream? Why don’t I do more of that? Why don’t I do only that?
- How does co-creation happen? How can I help it to happen, at work and in my life?
- How do I turn what interests me into my work? How am I connecting what is meaningful for me into my life? What is my mission statement? What am I doing? What is working? What is not working? Why?
- Is it true, that by being well one is better able to do well and, does doing well mean creating life-supporting value and increased wellbeing? What is the wellbeing I am creating in my life and in my work, and how well am I doing that?
- Do we transfer problems from one area of our lives to other areas in our lives? If we do, where is the "real" problem?
- What do I fear and how can I let the fear go?
- Who am I, essentially? If I take off everything that isn’t really me, what’s left? Would that be enough, would that be all that I need?
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